“Cryptozoology 101 – Monster hunting in the 21st Century” – that’s the title of a talk that was due to be given at the Aberdour Festival by Fortean-about-town Gordon Rutter. But an indisposition has laid Gordon in his bed, so I’m the last-minute replacement (Gordon has just as much beard as I have, but I’m taller – will the audience spot the substitution?).

I’ll be at The Institute on Shore Road, Aberdour, Fife, at 6pm on Tuesday 24th July, discussing Scottish Big Cats, loch monsters, sea serpents and other denizens of the cryptozoological twilight. As usual, there’ll be books for sale and signing by the author’s very own hand.

Tickets are £3 on the door and include a glass of wine or a soft drink. Further details of the Aberdour Festival (“10 days of possibly the best small festival in the world”) can be found here.